


Her Royal Highness

by JacksonCalico



Series: Her Royal [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, BACK ON MY BULLSHIT, F/F, Fluff, I'm soft for happy bees, Medieval AU, Princess and her guard AU, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, There's still no plot, this is literally just a companion fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-21 07:57:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21296123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JacksonCalico/pseuds/JacksonCalico
Summary: Yang is a royal guard, and Blake is the princess she's been sworn to protect.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Her Royal [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1517120
Comments: 7
Kudos: 153





	Her Royal Highness

**Author's Note:**

> Is this unnecessary? Yes.
> 
> Did I write it anyway? YES.
> 
> soft medieval bees are back baby
> 
> You don't have to read Her Royal Consort before reading this. They're kind of interchangeable and don't really have a plot, though Consort does go over a couple scene mentioned but not explained in Highness and vice versa.

The last thing Captain Sage Ayana expected to get today, was a message from the palace. It was rare Sage heard from the general himself. In fact, Sage couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten a message from General Ironwood. 

So the moment a wax-sealed letter was placed on his desk, Sage was intrigued. He recognized the seal, a gun with carvings on the barrel, and upon opening the letter, he was able to identify the clean handwriting on the inside. It was definitely the General writing to him. The only question was, why? Why was the general sending him a letter?

As Sage read the letter carefully, his curiosity grew. Security increases in the palace? Strengthening of the royal guard? What had happened?

The letter carried only two requests: to never mention the contents of this letter to anyone, and to send the best guard in his ranks to the palace, for a position in the royal guard. 

They were orders more than they were requests, and orders that Sage was required to comply with. He could keep quiet about this letter just fine, but now came the hard part.

Sending his best guard to the palace. 

Sage leaned back in his chair, sighing deeply, letter resting on his desk. His best guard. Who was his best guard?

He thought back on all the guards that were currently under his command, every guard who stood out.

There was Neptune Vasilias, a young guard around his age. Loyal and friendly, with a fear of water and a tendency to flirt with women. 

Sage shook his head. Neptune was better off near the outer walls, not in the palace, as a royal guard, where secrecy is key. Neptune was poor at keeping secrets, he wouldn’t do. 

Maybe Scarlet David. He was a good fighter, and Sage liked him well, but he had a feeling that Scarlet, similar to Neptune, was better off staying where he was. 

There was only one other soldier Sage could think of for the job: Yang Xiao Long.

She’d been a corporal for only a couple months, but she was undoubtedly one of the better soldiers in his ranks. Young, strong, one of his best fighters. She was one of the most respected and well-liked soldiers of the outer wall.

She had recently come back from medical leave, the result of a nasty fight with a handful of rebels that ended with her losing an arm. She’d come back after a couple months, with a prosthetic arm and twice as much dedication to her job. 

Sage smiled to himself, grabbing a blank sheet of paper from his desk, writing down his response to the general.

Yang Xiao Long, the perfect soldier for the job. 

\---------

“Corporal Xiao Long.” A voice said behind Yang.

She turned around, finding herself face to face with her Captain. 

“Yes sir?”

Sage scanned the mess hall carefully, looking for curious ears that might be listening in, eyes that might be watching, of which there were several.

“My office, five minutes.” Was all he said, before disappearing back down the hall he came. 

Yang could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage, anxiety flaring in her chest. Why the hell would the Captain want to meet with her?

She could hear amicable jeering from Neptune and Scarlet as she left the mess hall, making her way to the captain’s office. 

It wasn’t often that Sage wanted to talk to her. The last time she’d been in his office was months ago, when she’d come back from medical leave. 

The hallways of the outer wall barracks were always dark, lamps barely illuminating the cobblestone walls. Cobwebs hung from every corner, puddles on the floor from where yesterday's rain found its way through the cracks in the ceiling. 

The door to Sage’s office was the same as every other door she had passed, sturdy oak with two lamps on either side, wood worn and aging. It was inconspicuous, and if Yang had never been there before, she would have walked right by it without so much as a second glance.

She knocked on the door, opening it when given permission to do so. Sage was seated at his desk, reading a letter, a discarded envelope bearing a red seal front and center on his desk. 

“You wanted to see me, sir.” Yang said, standing at attention.

Sage sighed, setting the letter down. “I received a letter last night, from General Ironwood, about an open position in the royal guard.” He paused to gauge her reaction, unsurprised to find her already piecing it together. “He instructed me to send my best guard to the palace, to see if they could fulfill the position.”

Yang swallowed. “And you chose me.”

Sage nodded. “If you accept, you’ll go to the palace, and be interviewed by the General. There’s no guarantee you’ll get the position.”

“I’ll go.” It wouldn’t hurt to try. A position in the royal guard, serving the royal family directly. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Some soldiers would kill for even a chance to get the job. This wasn’t something Yang was just going to pass up. 

“You leave in the morning, and the rest of the day off.”

Yang thanked him, turning to leave. 

“Xiao Long,” Sage said, shuffling through the papers on his desk.

Yang looked back at him. “Yes sir?” 

He glanced at her briefly, eyes stern and serious. “You are to tell no one. This is to be kept between you and me. Understand?”

“Yes sir.”

Sage smiled, a rare moment of emotion. “Enjoy the rest of your day Corporal.”

Yang nodded, thanking him again, opening the door and leaving. The moment the door was closed behind her, Yang let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. 

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

\---------

And it was a long day.

A day that had passed by in a blur, but had been nonetheless draining. 

Yang hadn’t been the only one the job had been offered to. There had been a man from the palace guards, his blue uniform a stark difference from her red one. He had a pink streak in his hair and a gentle look in his eyes. He didn’t say a word the entire time Yang had been near him, but that wasn’t much different from the other guy who had been there with them. A tall man from the military, with a purple uniform and shaved black hair. 

Lie Ren and Yatsuhashi Daichi. 

Yang doesn’t remember much of the interview itself. She had met the General briefly once before, but she wasn’t sure if he remembered her. If he did, he gave no indication.

Yang hadn’t had much of an interview when she’d joined the outer wall. A confirmation of her name, age, and birthplace by an officer was the closest thing she’d had. 

Sage had given Ironwood most of her information beforehand. All she had to do was answer a few questions, under the watchful eye of the General, and the King and Queen of Menagerie. 

King Ghira and Queen Kali were by far the most intimidating part of the interview. They hadn’t even spoken to her, but being in their presence alone made Yang tense.

When she left the palace, several hours later, she was exhausted and doubtful. 

Yang had zero confidence that she would get the job.

\---------

Yang got the job. 

At breakfast a couple days later, Sage pulled her aside, handed her a letter with the seal of the royal family, wished her luck, and left.

Sure enough, when Yang read the letter, she found out that she had been given the position. 

She started next Monday, four days from then, with a job briefing early Sunday morning. What her job exactly was, Yang wasn’t quite sure, but that didn’t matter right now.

She was a royal guard now, and she had to tell Ruby she was leaving.

\---------

It had been way easier to tell Tai she was leaving then Ruby. He'd simply congratulated her, told her to stay out of trouble, and to take care of herself. She was almost twenty, and more than capable of looking after herself.

Ruby, on the other hand, was much harder.

Yang had become somewhat of a motherly figure towards Ruby after Summer died. Tai could barely take care of himself those days, let alone two growing kids, so Yang had to step up and take care of Ruby herself.

This would be the longest period of time Yang would be away from her family. She would live much farther away, and it would probably be months before she saw them again.

“You’re leaving?” Ruby exclaimed, hand outstretched, reaching for the last cookie on her plate. She paused, bringing her arm back, empty-handed, watching Yang with confused eyes.

“I’ve been reassigned to the palace. I start on Monday.” 

Ruby stared at her with wide, silver eyes. “Why’d you get reassigned? You just got back to the outer wall.” 

“There was an open position, and I was recommended for it by my captain.” Yang replied, drawing lines into the table with a metal finger.

Ruby’s demeanor changed from confused to excited very quickly. “You get to work in the palace! Do you think you’ll meet the princess? Or the King and Queen?”

Yang chuckled at Ruby’s enthusiasm. “I don’t know yet Ruby. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.”

Ruby’s face turned confused again. “You don’t know what you’re doing yet?”

Yang’s thoughts drifted back to the letter she’d received, and Sage's words. Tell no one. Keep utmost secrecy. 

She couldn’t tell Ruby she was a royal guard. She was forbidden from telling Ruby anything. 

“I know I’m a palace guard, but I don’t have any assignments yet.” That sounded believable. Hopefully Ruby bought it. 

She did. 

\---------

General Ironwood greeted Yang when she arrived at the palace early Sunday morning. He was quick and brief, leading her down long, winding hallways. 

“Your job is to be the princess’s personal guard.” Ironwood said, eyes trained ahead of him. Yang’s steps faltered slightly. He said nothing else, and continued walking as if he hadn't just turned Yang's world upside down with a single sentence.

Ironwood opened a door at the end of the hallway. Inside was a desk, a couple of bookshelves, a large chair behind the desk, and a pair of chairs in front of the desk.

“Have a seat Corporal.” Ironwood gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk, taking a seat on the larger chair behind it.

Yang nervously settled onto one of the chairs. 

“Everything I’m about to tell you is extremely confidential. If anything that’s said today gets out, the princess’s life could be in danger. Understand?”

“Yes sir.”

Ironwood nodded, folding his hands over his desk. 

“There was a security breach in the palace approximately two weeks ago, an assassin's attempt to kill the princess.” He paused, searching Yang’s face for any sign of emotion. It was void of any emotion, but her eyes easily conveyed her shock at the revelation. 

“Their royal highnesses ordered a royal guard to be placed permanently at her side. That’s where you come in.” 

Yang only nodded. 

“You are to never leave her side during the day. We’ve increased security in the east wing at night, so you won’t have to worry about being with her at night. You can leave her after she falls asleep. You will sleep and eat with the other guards at scheduled times.”

Yang took a moment to process this. Her job was to protect the princess. She’d have to spend almost every waking moment with the heir to the kingdom. 

“Your uniform and weapons are down in the guard’s quarters. I’ll arrange for your new captain to show you around the palace. You start tomorrow. I’ll be waiting for you by the mess hall to take you to meet the princess.”

Ironwood stood up and stretched his hand forward. Yang took it, and they shook hands. 

“Welcome to the Royal Guard.”

\---------

Captain Pyrrha Nikos was by far one of the nicest people Yang had ever met. 

She was the captain of the palace guards, and even though Yang was a royal guard, Pyrrha was still her captain. 

Pyrrha was friendly when she greeted Yang, warmly welcoming her to the palace. Yang would be bunking with Pyrrha and her team, a couple of palace guards Yang doubted she'd ever see outside of mealtimes and lights out.

“You’ll have different duties and assignments from us, but our mealtimes are the same.”

Pyrrha opened a door and lead the way into their room. 

There were six beds, one completely empty, one with a uniform neatly folded on top, with the final remaining three containing her new roommates. 

Yang recognized Ren from the interview. He nodded at her in acknowledgement, and she nodded back. Something told her she wouldn’t be hearing much out of him. 

The bed next to Ren’s was occupied by a shorter girl with orange hair. She waved at Yang, shouting a greeting. 

A young blonde man was on the last bed, cleaning a sword. He looked up and smiled at her, setting the sword aside. 

“Guys, this is Yang Xiao Long.” Pyrrha introduced.

The girl with orange hair jumped up excitedly. 

“I’m Nora! That’s Jaune,” She pointed at the blonde man. “And this is Ren!” 

Ren quietly shushed Nora, gaze slightly stern. 

“Nice to meet you.” Yang whispered. Pyrrha patted her on the shoulder, walking over to the bed beside Jaune’s.

“The bed with the uniform is your’s.” Nora gestured to the unoccupied bed.

Yang thanked her, approaching the bed and setting her bag down beside it. 

Her new uniform was composed of a blue sleeveless jacket, long-sleeved white shirt, belt, brown gloves, and combat boots. A sheathed dagger and sword were leaning against her bedside table. A pistol was resting on top of the table. 

Pyrrha called curfew, and Yang got ready for bed quietly. Nora tried to make small talk, but she promptly past out mid-sentence. Ren sighed, and while at first glance he seemed annoyed, he was smiling gently as he pulled the covers over Nora. Yang hadn't missed the engagement ring on Nora's finger, and assumed he was probably the one who gave it to her.

Yang had trouble sleeping that night. She had a big day ahead of her tomorrow, a day she should probably be well-rested for, but she couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Tomorrow she would be meeting the princess. Her job started tomorrow. 

The princess’s life now lay in her hands. 

\---------

The next morning past by quickly. Yang had gotten up, dressed herself in her new uniform, and eaten breakfast without incident. Nora had one again tried to start a conversation with her, but Yang was too nervous to do much conversing on her part. Nora didn't seem to mind, and just kept talking as if Yang was responding to her anyway.

General Ironwood met her outside the mess hall. He was looking at a pocket watch, but he glanced up as Yang approached. 

“The princess is waiting for us in the royal common room. We shouldn’t keep her much longer.”

Yang nodded, and Ironwood lead her through the long hallways of the palace. Unlike the halls of the outer wall, the royal palace was well lit and clean. Her boots made little to no sound on the soft carpet, so much different from the hard floors she was so used to. 

Ironwood paused in front of a tall door. He looked back at her, nodded, and opened the door.

A young woman stood inside. Her hair was midnight black, cut to settle gently at her chin, and a pair of cat ears rested on top of her head. One of her ears flicked in their direction as the door opened, and for the first time ever, Yang saw the princess.

She had turned her head towards them and the first thing Yang could comprehend was gold. Her eyes were the most brilliant shade of amber, shimmering slightly in the sunlight gleaming through the windows. 

Her outfit was simple, a long-sleeved dress shirt and grey skirt. It wasn’t extravagant or expensive. Hell, it was probably something Yang could have afforded on her old soldier’s wages. The princess didn’t dress like a princess. 

She stepped out into the hallway, and stood in front of Yang, sizing her up. Yang forced herself to stand tall under her gaze. 

"Your highness, this is Corporal Yang Xiao Long. She has been assigned to be your royal guard from this day forth." Ironwood said, gesturing to Yang.

The princess only nodded, and dismissed the general with a wave of her hand, not even saying a single word. Ironwood left with a bow, and Yang was alone with the heir to the kingdom, her new reality for weeks, months, maybe even years to come. 

It would be just Yang, and her royal highness, Princess Blake Belladonna. 

\---------

Blake insisted that Yang call her Blake instead of princess. 

“You don’t want me to call you princess?” Yang asked tentatively. 

Blake shook her head. “I have a name for a reason. It’s nice to have someone actually use it every once and a while.”

Yang nodded, and smiled. “I’ll call you Blake as long as you call me Yang.”

Blake smiled back at her. “Then I guess we have a deal.”

\---------

Yang still called Blake princess sometimes, and every time Blake would roll her eyes and call Yang corporal, features stern except for the small smile on her face and the laughter in her eyes.

A game, calling each other by their titles. 

It was a game where they were the only ones playing.

Maybe they didn’t mind being it’s only participants. 

\---------

Yang was surprised to learn that Blake didn’t have a lot of royal duties. She was the only child of the King and Queen. She was next in line to rule the kingdom, the only heir for the Menagerie throne. Surely she was bound to have some important duties to attend to.

But she didn't.

Blake said she sometimes attended council meetings, but she hadn’t gone to one in the short time that Yang had known her, and Yang wasn't sure if she ever would.

Sometimes Blake had to go to classes, to learn how to take over the kingdom. Yang learned that those classes were becoming less and less common the older Blake got. She'd learned just about everything in her early teen years and now that she was approaching twenty years of age, there wasn't much left she could be taught.

Fewer classes meant the more time Yang spent with Blake. A couple of weeks ago, Yang would never have imagined that she’d be spending time with the princess. 

Now, she looks forward to spending her days with Blake, learning more about her, becoming friends with her, getting to know the princess for who she is and not just her title.

Yang likes spending time with Blake. She just hopes that Blake likes spending time with her too. 

\---------

Yang learned very quickly that Blake liked to read.

The bookshelf in her room is filled to the brim with books, and whatever doesn't fit onto the cramped shelves makes its way onto her equally as occupied desk. Any books that Blake borrowed from the palace library are quickly returned when finished and just as quickly replaced, a constant cycle in which Blake consumed literature.

Blake liked to read. She liked to go to the library. She liked to spend her days on a comfy chair, with a book in her lap, letting the day pass by without so much as a glance away from the page. It reminded Yang of Ruby sometimes, and the books she used to read to her before bed. Ruby liked books, and Blake liked books too.

Yang liked the books she read to Ruby all those years ago. Ruby must have liked them too, if she had insisted that Yang read to her every night, up until Ruby had turned ten and started reading before bed on her own. 

It'd been years since Yang had last had the time to read a book, and the last thing she expected the next time to be, was to be reading a book to the princess before bed.

"Can you read to me?"

Blake's question had been so quiet, barely audible against the storm raging outside. It was the first serious storm Menagerie had gotten in months. Blake had gone to bed early, but asked Yang to stay with her until she fell asleep.

"I don't like storms." The faunus had whispered, blanket wrapped tightly around herself, ears folded back slightly in distress. It made sense for Blake to not like storms. Her cat ears were sensitive to sounds, her eyes twice as vulnerable to bright lights, so a raging thunderstorm outside was bound to keep her up.

So Yang stayed, completely content with staying by Blake's side until she fell asleep, but the storm continued to rage on, with no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Then Blake asked Yang to read to her, to help her fall asleep, and Yang couldn't say no.

Yang had grabbed the first book she recognized off of Blake's bookshelf, dragged the desk chair over to the side of the bed, and began to read aloud, for the first time in years. 

Yang had seen Blake read this book before, a story about a man with two souls fighting for control over the same body, but the other woman didn't seem to mind in the slightest.

It was a lot different, reading to Blake instead of Ruby. Blake was a lot quieter, much more subdued than Yang's boisterous little sister, but Yang didn't mind. It was easier to read to a quiet princess than her energetic sister.

It took Ruby ages to fall asleep when she was hooked on a story. Blake, on the other hand, was asleep within minutes, lulled to sleep by Yang's gentle voice, and a story she had no doubt read a hundred times before.

Blake was pretty, even when asleep, and Yang would have rather died than wake her.

\---------

Yang miraculously got two days of leave fairly early into her new job. She’d only been a royal guard for a couple months (it felt shorter than that to Yang, but in reality, she had actually known Blake for almost three months), and she hadn’t expected to get leave so soon.

Ironwood gave her the weekend off, told her that Ren would be Blake’s temporary guard while she was gone. Ren was a good soldier, Blake would be in safe hands. 

Yang left early Saturday morning. She’d stayed long enough to introduce Blake to Ren, to make sure Blake would be alright while she was gone. 

Yang had swapped out her uniform for something more casual. A simple white dress shirt, a worn pair of brown pants, and her old, scuffed up combat boots. She kept her belt and dagger, figuring that it wouldn’t hurt to bring it with her. Ruby would appreciate the craftsmanship, and she felt safer armed than unarmed. She wasn’t wearing her gloves, and didn’t miss the way Blake glanced at her prosthetic curiously. 

That was definitely going to be a conversation when she got back. 

\---------

Yang may or may not have forgotten to tell Ruby and her dad that she was visiting, and that made her showing up at the Xiao Long-Rose household unexpected very interesting.

The flurry of emotions on Ruby’s face when she opened the door for Yang was a sight to behold, curiosity, confusion, and joy all rolled into one.

“Yang!” Ruby exclaimed, throwing her arms around Yang’s shoulders. 

Ruby hadn’t changed a bit since the last time Yang saw her, and she honestly didn’t expect her to. It had only been three months, but it was by far the longest amount of time that Yang had been away from home. It had been a lot easier to visit when she was still with the outer wall. 

Ruby let Yang go and stepped back, only to grab her by the hands, dragging her inside the house.

“What’s the palace like? Have you met the royal family? What’re they like?” Ruby didn’t even pause between her questions, spouting one after another. 

Yang laughed at her sister’s antics. “The palace is nice, nicer than anywhere you’ve ever been.” Yang reached out and ruffled Ruby’s hair, causing the younger girl to groan in annoyance. 

Ruby swatted her hand away. “Yang!” 

“What?” Yang asked innocently.

Ruby glared at her momentarily, before her earlier excitement came back. “Have you met the princess?”

“Nope.” Yang was sworn to secrecy. She couldn’t tell Ruby a thing about her job, under no circumstances. 

“Really?” Ruby said, disappointed. “You haven’t met the royal family?”

Yang did her best to keep her expression neutral. “I’ve only seen them like, once. I didn’t even talk to them.”

Ruby started to ramble about the royal family, how cool it was that Yang worked in the palace, but Yang struggled to pay attention. 

She knew the royal family. She worked for them, sworn her life to them, spent every day with the youngest member of their family, was friends with the heir to the kingdom.

Yang knew the royal family, but she couldn’t tell anyone that. 

No one was allowed to know that Blake’s life rested in her hands. 

\---------

Yang returned to the palace at the crack of dawn that following Monday. Ruby had gotten up early to see her off, and Yang already missed her sister. She didn’t know when she would next see her, and she only hoped it was soon.

Yang dropped her stuff off in her shared room, and changed into her uniform. Pyrrha and the others were already gone, presumably at the mess hall. 

Blake was still asleep when Yang entered her room after breakfast. Books were still strewn across the surface of her desk, the book about a man with two souls resting on her bedside table. 

Blake had probably stayed up reading it again. Yang knew it was one of her favorites. 

Blake woke up a couple minutes later, and looked momentarily startled at the sight of Yang. Then her eyes lit up, and she threw her blankets off of herself, rushed over to Yang, and threw her arms around the taller woman’s neck.

Yang hadn’t expected a hug, hadn’t expected more than a simple good morning, but she returned the hug gently, eagerly even.

"Miss me much princess?" Yang couldn’t help but tease her friend.

Blake huffed in her ear, but didn’t let go. "Shut up. It's been quiet without you here."

Yang laughed, tightening her grip around the faunus’s waist. 

She had missed Blake too.

\---------

Blake didn’t ask about Yang’s arm till weeks later. 

It was unbearably hot that day, much hotter than it normally was in Menagerie. An unexpected heatwave, Ren had explained at breakfast. Nora had groaned and flung herself onto her poor fiance, complaining up a storm, but Ren didn't seem to mind. He never seemed to mind anything Nora did.

Blake looked uncomfortably warm, even in just a dress shirt and skirt. Yang had already stripped herself of her jacket, even popped open the top button of her shirt, but it didn’t help much against the heat.

Yang didn’t remove her gloves, and Blake sure as hell noticed. 

"Why aren't you taking your gloves off?" 

Yang had learned very quickly after meeting Blake that the princess could be very blunt. 

Yang rubbed the old wound on her arm absentmindedly. "Don't know.......guess I just don't want you to see it....."

Yang pulled the leather glove off of the cool metal, revealing the gleaming silver of her arm. She'd gotten used to the arm itself, but having to explain the loss of her arm was something she could never get used to.

"I lost it about a year ago, after a rather nasty fight, and General Ironwood had a prosthetic built for me. It's not the same as the old thing, but it works well enough."

Yang tried not to think too much of that fight. A scuffle with a couple of rebels near the outer walls. She still wasn’t sure why the fight had started in the first place, but the bull faunus that had led the rebels that day still haunts her dreams some nights. 

Yang was snapped out of thoughts by a gentle pressure on her metal hand. Blake had reached out and grabbed her hand. 

"Is this why your old captain sent you here?" Blake asked quietly.

Yang had no idea why Sage sent her to the palace. He had dozens of other soldiers under his command, and yet he chose her for the job. “Maybe.”

Yang rubbed the back of Blake’s hand with her thumb. “Whatever his reason was, I’m glad he sent me here.” 

“Why’s that?” Blake asked, squeezing Yang’s hand.

“I got to meet you.” Yang smiled softly at Blake, grin wide. Blake smiled back, never letting go of her hand.

Maybe Yang didn’t want her to. 

\---------

When Blake finally gets to introduce Yang to Weiss, Yang had been working in the palace for three and a half months.

Blake told her that Weiss had been in Atlas, visiting family and working on business for the kingdom. 

Weiss had been mostly formal to Yang throughout the entire interaction. Friendly, but calculating, like she had been sizing Yang up. Funny, considering that Weiss barely was much smaller than her in stature.  
Blake seemed happy to see Weiss, so Yang was happy. 

That didn’t stop Yang from giving Weiss the nickname ‘ice queen’. 

Blake warned her never to call Weiss in front of her in between laughs. 

Yang may never be able to actually call Weiss that to her face, but it made Blake laugh, so it was a win in her book.

\---------

“You want to get something to eat?” Yang asked in disbelief.

Blake nodded, setting her book aside and stretching. Yang gave her an incredulous look, barely believing her ears.

“You do know your curfew is in five minutes, right?” Yang said as she watched Blake pull a jacket on over her nightgown.

Blake nodded, smirking. “That just means we’ll have to be quick.”

Yang tried her best to protest as Blake grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door. They really shouldn’t be out this late. They’d both be in serious trouble if they got caught.

Blake didn’t let go of her hand the entire way down to the kitchens. Blake knew the palace way better than Yang, so she let Blake lead the way, not at all minding the soft hand gently clasping her own. 

When the got to the kitchens, it was nearly empty, only a handful of workers cleaning up and prepping for breakfast. Yang only recognized a young boy around fifteen years old, Oscar Pine, who was standing next to a faunus woman with tall rabbit ears. She’d seen him around the palace a couple of times, and she knew Nora was rather fond of him.

Blake made a beeline over to woman, and Yang trailed behind her hesitantly. Yang stood off to the side as Blake began talking to the woman. The woman, Velvet, said something to Oscar, and he nodded, disappearing into what Yang assumed was the pantry. He returned a few short minutes later, with an apple in hand.

Blake accepted the apple when offered it. “Thank you.” She said, smiling at him.

As she and Blake started to leave, Yang looked back at Oscar, smiling. “Thanks.”

Oscar smiled back timidly. “Have a good night, sir.”  
Yang grinned. “You too kid.”

Blake was smiling as they walked back to her room, eating her apple contently. 

“Happy now that you’ve got an apple?” Yang teased.

Blake elbowed her, laughing. “As a matter of fact, I am.”

“Whatever you say, princess.”

\---------

Blake surprise Yang one day, by asking her to teach her how to fight. Yang agreed, because the thought of something happening to Blake scared her more than anything. Blake knowing how to defend herself would help ease Yang's nerves.

So once a week, they would sneak out to the training yard, and Yang would teach Blake how to fight.

Blake technically wasn’t allowed out in the training yard, so Yang had to check the yard schedule every morning to see if anyone would be there or not. More often than not, it wasn’t occupied, and they were free to slink down to the yard and train.

Blake was a quick learner, and as the weeks passed by, she got more comfortable in a fighting stance, more sure of her movements. There were still some days where they would have to stop so Yang could adjust her stance, but neither of them minded. They were both always looking for an excuse to be near each other anyways.

Today was different. Blake was a lot more distracted than normal (not that she usually was, but Yang had caught Blake staring at her more times than she could count). 

Yang had already asked her twice if she wanted to take a break, but the princess had simply shaken her head, and they had gone back at it.

Until Blake’s footing slipped.

Yang’s heart lurched as Blake pitched forward unsteadily. Yang reached out, catching Blake by her biceps, pulling her upward. 

Blake’s momentum, however, continued to carry her forward, and she crashed directly into Yang’s chest. 

Blake’s fingers gripped Yang’s shirt tightly, cheek pressed against Yang’s breasts, and Yang has never felt more flushed in her life.  
“You okay?” Yang managed to whisper, and one of Blake’s ears flicked against her cheek. 

Wide golden eyes glanced up at her, and Yang’s heart hammered in her chest. 

“Yeah…..I’m fine…” Blake sounded just as out of breath as Yang.

Blake leaned back, standing upright, swaying slightly, grip tightening on Yang’s shirt. One of Yang’s hands subconsciously drifted down to Blake’s waist, steadying her, their eyes locked together, never looking away.

Blake was tilting her head upwards, hands pulling Yang slightly closer, leaning in. Yang was leaning in too, tightening her grip ever so slightly on Blake’s waist, eyes slightly down to the shorter woman's lips.

And then voices erupted behind Blake, and they were shooting away from each other. Blake had turned around in the direction of the noise, but Yang grabbed her hand and quickly began guiding her back inside. 

Yang hoped Blake couldn’t hear the way her heart was racing as she lead the dazed princess back in the direction of her room.

Yang had almost kissed Blake. She’d almost kissed Blake. 

Yang knew she liked Blake, romantically, but now she was sure of something. She was falling in love with Blake.

She was falling in love with the heir to the kingdom, the princess she had sworn to protect.

Fuck.

\---------

It was awkward, for a couple of days. Yang couldn’t look Blake in the eyes, but then again, neither could Blake. They had almost kissed each other. Yang had almost kissed the princess, her friend, the daughter of her boss.

They didn’t talk about what happened, Yang didn’t even know where to start, and after a couple of days, things went back to normal between them, but that didn’t stop Yang from thinking about kissing Blake.

Yang was in love with her best friend, and there was nothing she could do about it. 

\---------

Yang’s job was simple: to protect Princess Blake Belladonna. She was supposed to protect Blake at all costs. 

For a couple of months, there wasn’t a lot of protecting to do. Blake just wasn’t in any danger.

Until the palace was once again broken into.

Yang was still in Blake’s room. She had stayed a little longer than she normally did, just chatting with Blake, enjoying her company. 

Blake’s ears swivelled in the direction of the door. "The general's coming."

Sure enough, a couple moments later, there was a knock at the door. 

"Princess, Corporal Xiao Long?" Yang recognized the general’s voice instantly. "The palace has gone into lockdown. I will come by to lift the lockdown after the situation has been resolved. Two guards are posted outside the door. Neither are permitted inside. Understand Corporal?"

Yang’s heart hammered in her chest. "Yes General."

Yang did her best to quell her rising anxiety, and tried to focus on her training. Stay alert, prepare to fight at a moment’s notice, be ready to protect Blake. 

Blake. Her best friend, the woman she had fallen in love with, one of the people she cared most about in the world. Her life was in danger, and Yang would rather die than let anything bad happen to her. 

Yang was faintly aware of Blake shifting around in her bed throughout the night. Yang kept her attention on the door, listening, tensing at every sound coming from the hallway. Yang could feel Blake’s eyes on her, and had to resist the urge to turn and meet them.

General Ironwood didn’t return until hours later, and Yang couldn’t stop the yawn that escaped her the moment the lockdown was lifted. It was definitely early morning, and the sun would no doubt be rising in a few hours. 

Yang couldn’t bring herself the leave Blake. She didn’t care that her shift was over, that she had done her job and was free to return to her own bed. 

She wanted to be with Blake, and so with Blake she stayed.

They didn’t talk, just sat with each other. Yang had pulled the desk chair over to Blake’s bedside, resting her arms on the edge of the bed, Blake watching her through tired eyes. 

Yang wasn’t surprised when Blake fell asleep minutes later. It had been a long night, for both of them. 

Yang rested her head on her arms, and fell asleep. 

\---------

Yang doesn’t remember a night where she didn’t stay longer than she was supposed to.

It had to have been months ago, when she and Blake were still getting to know each other.

But tonight definitely has to be the longest night she’s willingly stayed with Blake. 

Blake hasn’t even gotten ready for bed yet. She’s still reading, nestled up on her plush chair. It’s a book Yang’s never seen before, so she assumes it’s probably new. 

Yang knows what it’s like when Blake gets a new book. She won’t stop reading it till she’s finished, but it’s late and Blake needs rest.

"It's getting late. You should probably get ready for bed soon."

Blake barely acknowledges her with a hum, turning a page in her book. Yang sighs, and sees one of Blake’s ears twitch in her direction. 

“Princess?” 

Blake keeps reading.

"Your highness?" Yang tries, but Blake continues to ignore her. 

"Blake."

Blake looks up this time, eyes tired, a barely-there smile on her face.

"You should really be getting ready for bed Blake." Yang says quietly.

Blake sighs, slipping a bookmark into her book. “I know.”

Blake stands up, stretching, letting out a soft yawn. She places the book on her desk, and finally starts to get ready for bed. 

Blake gets changed and lays down, and despite the late hour, Yang drags the desk chair over and sits down.  
“What was your book about? You seemed really invested in it.” Yang asks, glancing over at the desk to see if she can read the title from where she is. She can’t.

Blake doesn’t respond, and Yang looks back down at her, freezing slightly when she realizes Blake is staring at her lips. “Blake?”

Blake’s eyes snap up, face darkening. She’s silent for a moment, and Yang almost thinks she’s not going to say anything. Almost. 

"I want to kiss you." Blake whispers, breathless. 

Yang can feel a blush creeping onto her face, heart thudding fast against her ribcage.

Blake wants to kiss her.

Any signs of exhaustion have left Blake’s face, and Yang can tell she’s wide awake now. 

"I think I'm in love with you."

Yang swears her heart stops, she could hardly believe what she was hearing.

Blake was in love with her.

Blake reaches a hand out tentatively, cupping Yang’s cheek gently. Yang doesn’t pull away, lets Blake guide her forward, leans in when she feels Blake hesitate. 

And then Yang’s finally kissing Blake.

Kissing Blake was so much better than Yang ever thought it could be. Yang brings her right hand up to cup Blake’s cheek, feels Blake lean her head into Yang’s palm. Yang’s heart is beating a thousand miles a minute, mind and soul overcome with joy, and Yang can’t stop the grin that slips onto her face. 

Blake pulls back, smiling wide. “Stop smiling so I can kiss you.”

Yang rubs Blake’s cheek with her thumb lovingly. “I’m sorry I’m just really happy right now.” She whispers, heart full of love and hope. “I never thought that I’d actually have a chance with you. You’re the princess of the kingdom and I’m just some guard.”

And it’s true. Blake is a princess, Yang is a royal guard. The last thing Yang expected to happen was for her feelings to be mutual, that Blake loved her back. 

Blake presses another kiss to Yang’s lips, and Yang decides that she could definitely get used to this. “But you’re the guard I fell in love with. I love you, Yang.” 

Yang rests her forehead against Blake’s, enraptured by the loving smile on Blake’s face.

“I love you too.”

\---------

When Yang finally returned to the guard’s quarters, she was relieved to find the others asleep. She would have had no idea how to explain her lateness to the others this time. She’s used ‘important royal guard duties’ one too many times already for it to be believable.

Yang falls asleep peacefully, dreams full of the beautiful princess with golden eyes.

The princess she could now lovingly refer to as her girlfriend. 

Yang was dating Princess Blake Belladonna, and she couldn’t be happier. 

\---------

Blake starts calling Yang sunshine not long after they start dating. She only calls Yang it when they’re alone, and Yang loves the nickname. 

Blake said that Yang was her sunshine, her own special light in a dark, dim world. 

Yang calls Blake sweetheart, as cheesy and predictable as it is, but Blake doesn’t seem to mind.

Yang is her sunshine after all. 

\---------

A few days after they start dating, Blake brings Yang to a flower garden.

It’s beautiful, easily one of the most beautiful places Yang’s ever been, and she loves it immediately. 

Blake tells her it’s the only garden in the palace dedicated to flowers, but it’s large enough that Yang knows they could spend hours just walking through it, looking at all the flowers. 

And they do, they spend hours in the garden, holding hands, enjoying each other’s company and the flowers around them. 

Yang’s crouched down, looking at a patch of violets. Blake’s standing beside her, looking at a tall orchid plant. 

“I’ve never seen so many flowers.” Yang whispers, glancing up at Blake. 

Blake has a gentle smile on her face as she looks down at Yang. “My great grandmother loved flowers, so my great grandfather had this whole garden made for her.” She says, returning her attention back to the orchid. 

Yang hums, and an idea comes to her mind. She reaches down, plucks one of the violets, and stands. Blake looks back over at her, and Yang brushes a loose strand of midnight hair behind Blake’s ear, leaving the violet nestled gently in the faunus’s hair. 

Blake smiles knowingly at Yang. “Really, a violet?”

Yang laughs. “I think it’s safe to say we’re both friends of Sappho, Blakey. A violet is standard procedure.”

Blake lets out a small chuckle, ear flicking. “We are a little sapphic, aren’t we?” She says with an endearing smile. 

Yang gently grabs one of Blake’s hands, lifts it up, and presses a soft kiss to her knuckles. 

“We’re more than a little sapphic sweetheart.” Yang winks, and Blake blushes.

Yang leans in and kisses Blake sweetly. “I love you.” She whispers when she pulls back.

Blake reaches a hand out and cups the back of Yang’s neck, pulling her in for another kiss.

There was nowhere else in the world Yang would rather be than in a flower garden, kissing the love of her life. 

\---------

Sometimes Blake acts more like a prince than a princess, and it never fails to make Yang flustered. Blake’s a gentlewoman, Yang learns that pretty quickly, but it still surprises Yang sometimes. Blake thinks it’s fun to turn Yang into a blushing mess, and Yang doesn’t find herself minding at all. 

Blake had started leading Yang down hallways, curling her hand over her elbow, escorting Yang to their destination. It’s such a role-reversal, the princess leading the guard down the hall, but it never fails to make Yang’s heart soar with affection for the shorter woman.

Blake will hold the door open for Yang, and bow. Sometimes she takes Yang’s hand when she does it, and kisses it. One time she called Yang princess, and Yang couldn’t stop the blush that flooded her cheeks afterwards. 

Blake is a gentlewoman, and Yang loves it.

\---------

They’ve gotten into the habit of sitting together on Blake’s plush chair. Blake on Yang’s lap, book in hand, Yang reading over Blake’s shoulder. Sometimes they forget the book entirely, and just talk, wrapped up around each other. 

Today, it’s more like the latter. Blake’s curled up in her lap, arms loosely enveloping Yang’s middle, face buried in the crook of the blonde’s neck.

The faunus was asleep, breathing quiet, ears giving the occasional flick against Yang’s chin. 

Yang rested her cheek on top of Blake’s head, mindful of her ears. Blake snuggled impossibly closer, arms tightening around Yang.

Yang pressed a kiss to her head, closing her eyes, feeling herself being lulled to sleep by her girlfriend’s gentle breathing. 

So Yang fell asleep, cuddled up with her girlfriend, the most content she’s been in a long time.

\---------

“Yang!”

Yang’s heart freezes at the sudden shout of her name. She can feel Blake jump beside her, sees the faunus’s ears flatten against her head out of the corner of her eye. 

Yang doesn’t even have time to think before she’s turning around, pulling Blake behind her, hand reaching for the weapons on her belt.

But it’s not an enemy who was standing behind them, it’s her sister. 

“Ruby?” Yang says, relaxing. 

Ruby sprints over, throwing her arms around Yang’s shoulders. Yang returns the hug eagerly, easily lifting the smaller girl off the ground and spinning her around. 

Yang sets her sister back down on the ground a couple of moments later, smile wide. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Ruby’s practically bouncing on her feet with excitement. “I wanted to see you!” She exclaimed, laughing.

Yang can feel her smile falter, realizing one huge problem. Ruby’s in the palace. Ruby got into the palace.

“How’d you get into the palace?” Yang looks back at Blake, sees her girlfriend looking equally as concerned as Yang feels.

Ruby seems unbothered by the question, completely oblivious to the problem at hand. 

“Jaune let me in.” Ruby points behind herself, and when Yang looks up, Jaune is jogging down the hall towards them. He stops just behind Ruby, panting heavily, hands on his knees, desperately trying to catch his breath. 

“I know this is a violation of safety but-” Jaune starts, only to cut himself off when he looks up and sees the heir to the kingdom watching him curiously. He hurries to put himself together, quickly saluting Blake. “P-Princess!”

One of Blake’s ears flicks, expression nervous. Yang watches Ruby lean over and glance behind her, confusion clear on her face. Her gaze flicks between Blake and Yang, her confusion turning into realization as it clicks to who is standing with. 

“Princess?!”

Yang looks back at Blake, face warm. “Ruby this is Princess Blake Belladonna.” Yang introduces nervously, gesturing towards her girlfriend. “Blake, this is my sister, Ruby Rose.”

Ruby’s face is bright red, and Blake smiles nervously at her. 

Jaune snaps out of his shock, stumbling over his words as he rushes to explain himself. “Your highness I-” Jaune pauses, obviously struggling to justify why he let a stranger into the palace, so soon after a break-in. 

Yang looks back at Blake, who simply shrugs, leaving Yang to decide what to do with Jaune.

She sighs. “It’s fine Jaune just, never do it again.”

His face is red, embarrassed, but he nods anyway. “Are you going to tell Captain Nikos?” He asks, shifting on his feet.

“I’m not going to tell anyone as long as you get back to your post before anyone notices you’re gone.” Yang says, trying her best to be stern. 

He nods, bowing, and runs back down the hallway in the direction he came, leaving behind a flustered Ruby, nervous Blake, and slightly exasperated Yang. 

It’s quiet for a moment. 

“Never thought I’d see the day where you’re the one giving orders.” Blake mutters, breaking the silence with a grin on her face. 

Yang laughs, flashing Blake a grin of her own. “Hard to give orders when you’re the lowest ranking royal guard. I can barely get you to go to bed on time.” 

Blake scoffs, and Yang gives her a light nudge. 

Ruby gasps, and the couple turns to see her openly staring at them. “You’re the princess….” Her gaze jumps up to Yang. “You just shoved the princess….” 

Yang snorts, crossing her arms. “I wouldn’t call that a shove, but whatever you say Ruby.”

Ruby’s glaring at her, and Yang can hear Blake laughing beside her. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew the princess?” Ruby demands, and Yang smirks shrugging.

“Well, I didn’t tell you I was dating her either.” Yang glances over at Blake, taking in her flushed, but otherwise unbothered face. Blake has already told Weiss about their relationship. One more trusted person knowing wouldn’t hurt, right?

“You’re what!?”

It was going to be a long day.

\---------

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Yang sighed, running a hand through her hair, a nervous tic of hers making itself known. Blake had to go to a class, so Yang had to escort Ruby out of the palace by herself, which meant she was subjected to quite the interrogation from her sister. 

“I couldn’t. I’ve been sworn to secrecy.” Yang said, leading Ruby down a hallway, towards one of the guard entrances. 

Ruby was quiet for a moment, contemplating Yang’s response. Yang made a sharp left around the corner, Ruby following her silently. 

Yang couldn’t take the silence anymore. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I'm forbidden from telling anyone, and that includes other guards.” 

Ruby nodded slowly. “So...you’re the princess’s personal guard ...and no one’s supposed to know.”

“Basically. Only a handful of people know, and that’s how it’s been for months.” Yang ran a hand through her hair again. 

“Until today.”

Yang nodded. “Until today.”

“What about, you know, ...your relationship with the princess? Who knows about that?” Ruby asked, glancing around the hall anxiously.

Yang swallowed thickly. “Besides you, one other person.”

Ruby stared at her with wide eyes, chuckling nervously. “Guess I’m gonna have to keep multiple secrets today.” 

Yang spotted the guard entrance up ahead, Jaune standing at his post. Jaune straightened his posture as he saw them approach, waving nervously when he saw the glare Yang sent in her direction.

“See you soon?” Ruby asked hopefully. Yang opened her arms up for a hug, a hug that Ruby quickly accepted. 

“I’ll try. Love you sis.”

And Ruby left, escorted out of the palace by Jaune, leaving a bittersweet Yang behind. 

\---------

Months pass by, and security in the palace lessens considerably. Palace guard schedules and routines change, patrols are put in place, and it gets so much easier for Yang to stay with Blake longer at night.

Yang still doesn’t like it when she has to leave at night, hates it with practically every fiber of her being. 

“Stay with me tonight.” Blake asks one night, grip tight on Yang’s hand. 

The sudden request startles Yang, and she tenses for a moment, only to relax moments later when she realizes just what Blake asked. 

“Are you sure? Someone might notice.” Yang says, smiling, rubbing the back of Blake’s hand gently. She honestly didn't care someone noticed her missing from her bed that night. She could worry about that later, when Blake’s not looking at her lovingly, a small smile on her lips, eyes soft.

The moment Blake nods, Yang’s leaning over, pressing a kiss to her forehead, grin wide. “Then I guess I’m staying.” She whispers, giving Blake’s hand a final squeeze before leaning back and standing up, getting ready for bed. 

Yang is hyper-aware of Blake’s eyes on her as she strips herself of her uniform. Her gloves go first, followed quickly by her belt. 

As she’s undoing the buttons of her jacket, soft hands grab her own, gently guiding them away from her jacket. Blake presses a quick kiss to her lips, hands moving to grip the collar of Yang’s jacket. 

Blake pulls back, and Yang watches silently as her girlfriend undoes her jacket for her, fingers quick, threading the buttons through their respective holes easily. 

Yang can’t deny how appealing it is to have Blake undress her, and knows her thoughts are drifting to places less innocent. 

Blake slips the jacket off and over Yang’s shoulders, eyes wild with emotion, hanging it on the back of her desk chair. 

Blake steps back, sitting on the edge of her bed, alluring and seductive. She’s tempting, and if Yang hadn’t known better, hadn’t been so tired, maybe, just maybe, things would’ve escalated. 

But they won’t, because Yang knows it’s not the time, and Blake knows it too.

Blake laughs as Yang hurriedly removes her boots, hands flying the unbutton her shirt. 

“You’re lucky I’m tired Belladonna, or you might just have to pay the consequences of your actions.” Yang teases, watching Blake’s face turn red with a smirk.

Yang pulls her shirt off, exposing the skin of her upper body to the air. Blake’s laughter cuts off and Yang looks over at her, only to see the princess staring at her barely covered chest, breasts hidden only by a simple black bra. 

“Like what you see?” 

“Quiet Yang.”

They’re both blushing terribly, but Yang’s laughing as she unbuttons her pants, Blake’s eyes shooting to the ceiling the moment she starts pulling them off. 

“Oh, so this is where you draw the line on my decency.” Yang jokes, adding her pants to the pile of clothes. 

“Just shut up and get into bed.” Blake says after a moment of silence, slipping under the covers of her bed. 

Yang’s laughing as she slips underneath the blanket on the other side of the bed. They stare at each over the distance between, and then Yang reaches her arms out to Blake, and Blake curls up in her arms.

Yang doesn’t miss the way Blake flinches when her skin comes into contact with the metal of her arm. Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, Yang mutters an apology, and tries to move her arm away, only for Blake to stop her with a shake of her head.

The faunus looks down and observes the skin peeking out from under the prosthetic, scar tissue surrounding the spot where metal meets flesh, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the damaged skin. 

Yang cups Blake’s cheek, leaning in for a kiss.

“I love you.” Blake whispers into the air between them.

Yang pulls Blake back in for another kiss. “I love you too.”

Yang runs her hand through Blake’s hair, twirling the soft strands around her fingers. Blake’s hands smooth up and down across her back, legs tangled with hers. 

“I’m kind of glad my clothes don’t fit you.” Blake says, head buried in the crook of Yang’s neck. Yang presses a kiss to the top of her head, cat ear flicking softly against her cheek. 

“Why’s that?” Yang asks, even though she already knows the answer.

Blake doesn’t answer, snuggling closer, shifting to rest her head on Yang’s breasts. 

And then they fall asleep, wrapped tightly around each other, drifting off to the sound of each other’s breathing. 

\---------

Yang wakes up just before dawn, the sun still creeping slowly up over the horizon. 

Blake’s still asleep, curled up on her side, breathing softly in the crook of Yang’s neck. Yang raises herself up onto her elbows, watching Blake sleep with a soft smile on her face.

Yang knows she needs to leave soon if she wants to get to breakfast on time. If she’s late, the others are bound to grow suspicious of where she’s been all night.

Yang reluctantly pulls herself away from Blake, slipping out from underneath the covers, and quietly starts getting dressed. 

“Yang?” 

Yang’s pulling her jacket on, but she turns around at the sound of Blake’s voice, lilac eyes meeting sleepy golden ones. 

“Yes, sweetheart?” Yang asks sweetly, starting to button up her coat. 

“Where are you going?” Blake’s voice is thick with drowsiness, hair slightly ruffled from sleep.

“Breakfast. I gotta be there for roll call.” Yang buckles her belt and grabs her gloved, before crossing the room to stand at Blake’s bedside.

She leans down and presses a kiss to Blake’s forehead, only for the faunus to grab her gently by the collar and pull her in for a real kiss. 

“Love you, be back soon.” Yang whispered against her lips, pulling back.

“Love you too.” Blake mumbled, dragging the blanket further over herself and cuddling up underneath it.

Yang gave Blake one final glance before she left the room, smiling to herself when she realized her girlfriend was already asleep. 

\---------

“Pyrrha’s looking at you weird.”

“Is she?” Yang glanced behind her, confirming that her captain was indeed staring at her.

“Yeah,” Nora took a bite of her syrup-drenched pancakes, jabbing her fork in Pyrrha’s direction. “She has been all morning.” 

Nora took another bite of her food. “Whatcha do to get her to do that?”

Yang shrugged, despite knowing exactly why Pyrrha was staring at her. She hadn’t been in her bed that night, and the red-haired captain had definitely noticed. 

“You think she knows we’re plotting something?” 

Yang’s gaze snapped back over to Nora. “Wait we're what-”

It was too late. Nora had already set whatever plan she had into motion.

Yang could avoid Pyrrha’s scrutiny just a little longer now that a food fight was in full swing.

But how much longer did she have before her captain found out where exactly she was at night?

\---------

Pyrrha found out a week later. 

In hindsight, maybe Yang shouldn’t have been kissing the princess where anyone could see them. In the moment, she hadn’t really cared. Weiss had warned them to be careful, but sometimes they just couldn’t help themselves. 

Pyrrha’s reaction had definitely been the most anticlimactic one so far. 

She hadn’t even said anything to them, just smiled, nodded, and walked away.

A slightly bizarre reaction, but a reaction that had been welcomed by the young couple anyway.

\---------

A couple more weeks go by, and then Yang has to go to a monthly training session. 

It’s normal, at first, nothing out of the ordinary. She’d said goodbye to Blake earlier that morning, and left for the training yard. Nothing unusual or abnormal had happened. It was just a normal day.

And then Blake appeared out of nowhere, out of breath, a panicked look in her eyes, and Yang immediately knows something is wrong. 

Pyrrha doesn’t say a word as she lets Blake take Yang away, not even giving them a second glance.

Yang guides the shaking faunus down winding hallways, desperately looking for somewhere private. Yang spots a dead end and ushers Blake down it. It’ll have to work for now, there’s nowhere else they can go. 

Yang wraps her arms around Blake, holding her close, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other loosely hanging around her waist. 

“Blake, sweetheart, what happened?” Yang whispers, leaning back slightly, notices the tears in Blake’s eyes, and moves her metal hand to wipe them away. 

“My parents, they….”Blake pauses, swallowing hard, breathing heavily. Yang understands her immediately. Her parents know. “And I just…...I panicked and ran to find you.” 

Yang rubs comforting circles into Blake’s back, trying her best not to let her own rising panic show, knowing it would only worsen the situation. 

The sound of footsteps approaching has Yang tearing her eyes away from Blake’s face, gazing over the faunus’s head in the direction of the noise. Yang can see Blake glancing behind herself in her peripherals. 

Yang’s heart beats fast in her chest as the elder Belladonnas round the corner. 

They’re both as intimidating as she remembers, but it’s so much more intense, now that they know Yang is the secret lover of their daughter. 

“Blake…..” Yang almost doesn’t hear Kali’s whisper. The queen’s ears are pressed back flat against her head, very similar to Blake’s own ears now. 

Blake slips out of Yang’s arms to turn and face her parents, but her right hand seeks out Yang’s left, gripping it tightly. 

Yang doesn’t know how this will end, but she only hopes one thing.

That this won’t be the last time she gets to hold Blake’s hand. 

\---------

There was nothing they should have been worried about. 

Blake’s parents weren’t upset, they were happy. Happy that their daughter had found someone to love. They were happy that Blake was happy, and that was all that mattered to them. 

After receiving a strict talk from Ghira (a conversation that neither of them had been prepared for, and blushed furiously through the entirety of), Yang was given permission to move into Blake’s room.

It was a surreal experience, but Yang didn’t mind it in the slightest.

\---------

A couple of days after Yang moves into Blake’s room, they sneak out onto the roof to look at the stars.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was completely devoid of clouds, displaying shimmering stars as far as the eye could see. 

Blake had insisted that it was the perfect night for stargazing, and she was right. It truly was. 

“Do you know any constellations?” Yang asked as she spread out a blanket. They had sneaked out onto the top of the east wing tower, miraculously avoiding the night guards patrolling the palace. 

“A few. It’s been a while since I last had the chance to come out here and look at the stars.” Blake settled down on the blanket, looking up at Yang and patting the blanket beside her.

Yang sat down beside her girlfriend, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Show me.” She said with an affectionate smile. 

They were out on the roof for what felt like hours after that, Blake pointing up at the sky, Yang listening along attentively as the princess described different constellations.

“The stars are beautiful.” Blake whispered when she was finished, leaning her head onto Yang’s shoulder.

“Yeah, you are.” 

Blake snorted, leaning back to look up at Yang, an amused smile on her face. “You’re such a dork.”

Yang smirked. “But I’m your dork.”

Blake laughed. “Yeah, I guess you are.”

“I love you.” Yang said, reaching out and cupping the back of Blake’s neck, pulling her in for a kiss.

Blake pulls back and burrows her face into Yang’s neck, pressing a soft kiss to her pulse point. 

“I love you too.”

\---------

A week later, they sneak out to the palace ballroom. 

According to Blake, the ballroom hadn’t been used in months, and it's rather telling by the thin layer of dust resting upon the windowsills. The large curtains that usually covered the windows had been pulled aside, revealing the moon, and allowing some natural light to fill the room.

Blake gently grasped Yang’s hands between her own. “Dance with me.”

Yang couldn’t say no to that face, so she grasped Blake’s hip with one hand, and held on tightly to the other.

Yang can’t remember the last time she danced with anyone, if she ever even had, but she knows that dancing with Blake, twirling her around the ballroom, swaying gently with her under the moonlight, is something she’ll never forget.

\---------

One night, Blake brings Yang out to the garden they had their first date in. 

Yang followed Blake quietly through the garden, thinking. The faunus had been acting strangely all day, nervous and jittery, like she was waiting for something to happen, but Yang had no clue what.

Blake leads her to an old stone bench near the back of the garden. It was surrounded by dozens of gardenias, a flower that Yang recognized from the wedding bouquet Nora had when she and Ren had gotten married a couple of weeks ago.

“Do you remember the first time we came here?” Blake asked, settling down on the bench, watching Yang through careful eyes as she sat down beside her, their hands clasped tightly together between them.

“Of course I do. I gave you a violet and you made fun of me.” Yang said, trying to lighten the surprising tense mood.

It works, because Blake is smiling at her despite letting out an annoyed scoff. “I didn’t make fun of you. It was just a little ironic that you gave me a violet.”

They fall into a comfortable silence, tense atmosphere momentarily forgotten as they look back on the fond memory. 

Blake leans onto her shoulder, looking at the stars, and then down at the flowers around her. 

Yang watches Blake reach down and pick one of the flowers, holding the delicate flower gently in her hand.

“Aren’t those usually in wedding bouquets?” Yang can’t help but ask. Blake doesn’t respond, continuing to stare down at the flower in her hand.

“Blake-”

“Be my queen.” 

That was the last thing Yang had expected her to say. 

The air is tense around them again, Blake waiting for an answer, Yang barely comprehending what she said. 

Be her queen? What the hell does that mean-

Oh.

The moment it clicks, Yang can’t stop the grin that finds its way onto her face, or the way her head drops onto Blake’s shoulder. Blake just proposed to her. Blake had proposed.

“Holy shit Blake.” Yang knows her voice is muffled, but she needs something to lean on or she fears she might just turn into a joy riddled puddle. “Give a girl a warning before you say something like that. Of course I’ll be your queen.” 

Yang feels Blake press a kiss into her hair, feels her fiance squeeze her hand gently, and nuzzles gently into Blake’s neck. 

“Does this make me your, what’s it called, consort? Your royal consort?” Yang asked, remembering hearing the term used before in passing. 

Blake hums, and when Yang glances up, there’s a thoughtful smile on her face. “I guess it does, even if I’m not queen yet. I think princess consort would be a better term.”

Yang laughs into Blake’s neck. “I like royal consort better. Makes me sound more important.”

Blake rolls her eyes at Yang’s antics, but her smile is no less loving. 

Royal consort it is. 

\---------

Yang uses some of the gardenias to make Blake a flower crown. 

“You’re adorable sometimes, you know that right?” Blake says, laughing, as Yang constructs the flower crown, focusing intensely on the project at hand. 

Yang reaches up and gently sets the finished flower crown on Blake’s head, remembering to be mindful of her ears. She brings one of Blake’s hands up to her lips, presses a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist. 

Blake presses a kiss of her own to Yang’s cheek. Before she can pull away, Yang turns her head, capturing Blake’s lips with her own.

“I love you.” She murmurs against her fiance’s lips, smiling.

Blake kisses her. “I adore you.”

Yang rests her forehead against Blake’s, careful not to dislodge the flower crown. “Good, because the wedding might be awkward if you didn't.”

Blake laughs, and Yang decides it’s her favorite sound in the whole wide world.

Yang’s going to spend the rest of her life with this wonderful woman, and her wonderful little laugh. 

\---------

Yang is woken up the next morning by sunlight streaming onto her face. 

She groans and tries to roll over, but a soft, warm body holds her down.

Blake.

The princess had curled herself around Yang’s arm, head buried into the crook of Yang’s neck. Her shoulders are bare, and upon further inspection, Yang realizes that not only is Blake naked, but she is as well. 

Last night.

Blake had proposed. They’d slept together.  
They were engaged. 

She was going to marry Blake. 

A year and a half ago, if someone had told Yang that she would be engaged to the princess, she probably would have laughed in their face.

But now, after meeting Blake, after getting to know Blake, after falling in love with Blake, it doesn’t seem so strange. 

Yang can’t imagine her life without the gorgeous faunus woman laying beside her.

Blake stirs slightly beside her, but remains asleep. Yang smiles and leans down, leaving a gentle kiss on Blake’s forehead.

Her royal highness, Princess Blake Belladonna, heir to the Menagerie throne, Yang’s fiance.

Yang was going to marry this beautiful, perfect woman.

She’d never been happier.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really remember why I wrote this, but damn I love me soft bees. 
> 
> You can follow me on Twitter at JacksonCalico if you want. I plan to start writing some more fanficiton soon and might ask for some ideas on twitter if anyone is intrested.


End file.
